Who Is at Risk for PTSD and Addiction?

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that develops after people experience traumatic events. This disorder can involve extreme anxiety, fear, nightmares and deep depression. PTSD can also put you at risk of drug because you may seek alternative means to relieve your anxiety. People under extreme pressure and anxiety may sometimes self-medicate their symptoms by using habit-forming drugs. Also, PTSD can require you to take prescription medicines that may be habit-forming, especially if taken incorrectly. Always be sure to double-check your dosage instructions with your pharmacist and/or doctor and be sure to follow these instructions closely to avoid addiction.

How Stressful Careers Make PTSD and Addiction More Likely

Many people with stressful careers have an increased risk of developing both PTSD and addiction. A common example of a career that causes these problems is having a job in the military. People who have experienced war-time tragedies are at an increased risk of developing both these issues. The anxiety disorder increases the risk of addiction for two reasons. First, because of the feeling that you need to self-medicate symptoms in order to be happy; second, because the prescription drugs are addictive that treat PTSD. Other extremely stressful careers like police work can also increase your risk of these ailments.

How Traumatic Experiences Make PTSD and Addiction More Likely

Sometimes people without stressful jobs can develop PTSD which increases the risk of addiction through traumatic experiences. These kinds of experiences could be a car wreck, rape, murder and kidnapping, among countless others. The trick is that any event could be traumatic: the patient must feel that her life or safety was in jeopardy during this event, which may lay the foundation for PTSD. These kinds of traumatic events can cause people to experience the extreme anxiety and depression of PTSD which increases their risk of drug addiction.

Help for PTSD and Addiction

If you have PTSD and at are risk of addiction or already abuse drugs, you need professional help immediately. Our toll-free helpline is available to everybody 24 hours a day. We have qualified abuse and addiction counselors operating our phone lines—they can answer your questions concerning PTSD, addiction and treatment. Our counselors can help you find the professional treatment that you need to recover. They can also help you find out if your insurance will be able to help you cover the cost of treatment. Call us now and find the professional help and information that you have been searching for to get well.